Obama: VHA IT revamp a priority

May. 30, 2014 - 06:00AM
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Revamping VA's information systems will require funding, but should be a priority, according to President Obama. (Win McNamee / Getty Images)

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One of the top issues the administration will tackle at the Veterans Affairs Department is revamping its information systems, President Obama said in a press conference May 30.

The resignation of VA secretary Eric Shinseki, over allegations of long wait times, falsified wait lists and other mismanagement issues, dominated the event, but Obama also said one of the priorities to fix the Veterans Health Administration’s health care delivery is to update the information systems inside VHA hospitals and care facilities. (See related story.)

“I think there are going to have to be some changes in the culture within the VHA because, as I said, they’re providing very good service, medical treatment, to our veterans when they get in the system, but they don’t have, apparently, the state-of-the-art operations that you would want to see, for example, in a major medical center or hospital,” Obama said.

He said any major investment in VHA systems would require time and money, and he will work with Congress to help fund VHA reform efforts.

“Even during fiscally tight times, there’s been no area where I’ve put more priority than making sure that we’re delivering the kind of budget that’s necessary to make sure our veterans are being served,” Obama said.